This summer, AT&T’s purpose to connect people to greater possibilities came to life at ten of our retail stores. Thanks to the success of our retail e-waste initiative, we collected more than 10,000 pounds of e-waste which allowed us to host 10 laptop distribution events at retail stores in July and August. Through these distributions, we donated 1,000 refurbished laptops, in addition to backpacks, to students and families through our collaborations with Compudopt and Human-I-T.
These events were powered by customers whose individual actions—recycling electronics, donating trade-in value and spreading the word—helped create new opportunities directly in their communities.
Turning retail initiatives into community resources
Retail stores are typically where people come to explore devices, ask questions, and get support. Since 2025, over 200 participating AT&T retail stores have also become trusted locations where anyone from the community, not just AT&T customers, can recycle eligible electronics. Their participation helped keep devices out of landfills while expanding access to technology. AT&T made a commitment that for every 10 lbs of eligible e-waste recycled, we would donate 1 refurbished laptop to a community member in need.
AT&T donated 1,000 laptops across 10 cities to celebrate the success of our retail e-waste campaign
Betsy Francis, Vice President General Manager of the Mid-Atlantic Region, helped distribute laptops in Washington, D.C.
AT&T employee volunteers came together to distribute laptops to community members in need
For every 10 lbs of eligible e-waste recycled, AT&T donates 1 refurbished laptop to a community member
Laptop recipients also received backpacks filled with school supplies
Customers can recycle e-waste at over 200 AT&T retail store locations
Since the launch of this campaign in 2025, customers have recycled more than 10,000 pounds of eligible electronics at participating AT&T stores and donated more than $1M in trade-in value. That’s more than a statistic; it’s thousands of individual decisions to keep electronics out of landfills and to support access to technology for people who need it.
These e-waste donations empowered us to return to those same communities to distribute 1,000 laptops across 10 store events, turning our retail locations into a place where families and community members received tools that can change their school year and possibly their future. The events welcomed recipients into AT&T stores, where they could meet our teams and learn about our products and services that may fit their needs. This model connects everyday retail engagement with direct benefits for the communities our stores serve.
Measuring impact beyond the numbers
Success isn’t only measured by the number of laptops distributed. It’s about what can happen when a student or community member has the right tools they need to complete schoolwork, apply for jobs, explore college opportunities, submit scholarship applications, access virtual healthcare portals, stay in touch with loved ones, and so much more.
A reliable computer can be the difference between keeping up and falling behind, between opportunity and setbacks.
These retail laptop distributions, and the ripple effect they will have, were made possible solely through customer participation. That simple exchange, recycling that reduces waste, paired with devices that expand opportunity, is what makes this program so powerful. By connecting circularity with digital inclusion, the program gives customers an easy way to take action locally while contributing to a larger national effort.
The bigger commitment behind the summer events
The retail e-waste campaign sits within AT&T’s broader environmental stewardship program, supporting responsible recycling and waste reductions while also advancing our efforts to help address the digital divide through internet accessibility, affordability, and safe adoption.
We’ve committed $5 billion to help 25 million people get and stay connected to high-speed internet by 2030. And we will distribute 30,000 laptops nationwide in 2026. The e-waste retail laptop distributions are a meaningful step on that path, proof that when we align our resources, our retail footprint, and our customers’ desire to do good, we can deliver real outcomes.
Thank you for showing what’s possible
To every customer who dropped a device into a recycling bin, donated trade-in value, or simply told a friend about the program: thank you. You helped turn old electronics into new opportunities.
And to the students and families who joined us at our retail events this summer: we’re honored to be part of your back-to-school season. We’ll keep working—store by store, community by community—to make it easier to recycle responsibly, easier to access technology, and easier for more people to get connected and prepared for the future.
Ready to make a difference? Bring eligible electronics to a participating AT&T retail store for responsible recycling—and help create more opportunities in communities nationwide.
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